The lights on the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree will be lit during a ceremony held on Tuesday, December 6, 2011, at 5 p.m. on the West Front of the Capitol. The ceremony is open to the public and no tickets are required. Architect of the Capitol Stephen T. Ayers, AIA, LEED AP, will serve as the master of ceremonies. The Honorable John Boehner, Speaker of the House, will press the switch to light the tree for the first time at dusk.
 
This year’s tree is from the Stanislaus National Forest in California. The tree was felled in early November and the 65-foot Sierra white fir was placed on a trailer and traveled more than 4,500 miles to arrive at the U.S. Capitol on November 28. The tree is decorated with 10,000 LED lights, and nearly 3,000 ornaments handcrafted by the people of California that reflect this year’s theme, “California Shines.”
 
The program will feature holiday music played by the United States Army Band, “Pershing’s Own.” Johnny Crawford, a seven-year-old from Sonora, California, will assist Speaker Boehner with the lighting of the tree. His name was drawn from the thousands of Californians who made ornaments for the tree. Members of the California Congressional delegation are scheduled to attend the ceremony. The 18-voice choir, “Jazz@8,” from Summerville High School in California, will be performing a medley of Christmas songs.
 
Access to the West Front lawn on December 6 will be from First Street and Maryland Avenue S.W., and First Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., where guests will proceed through security. Parking near the Capitol is restricted; therefore it is recommended that those attending the ceremony take Metro. (Union Station, Federal Center S.W., and Capitol South are the nearest stops.)
 
The lighting of the Christmas Tree has been a tradition at the U.S. Capitol since 1964. The tree will be lit from dusk until 11 p.m. each evening through January 1, 2012.